How do you know if you're happy at work?
You're probably happy at work if, over the last three months, you've mostly felt recognised, kept informed and in control, you can switch off in the evenings, you'd recommend your employer, and you can see where your job is going. If several of those are missing, something needs to change.
The 10-question "Am I happy at work" quiz
Think about the last three months, not just this week. Tap an answer to move to the next question.
See all 10 questions on one page
Think about the last three months, not just this week. Give yourself 1 point for yes, half a point for sometimes and 0 for no.
What your score means
8 to 10
You're broadly happy at work
Most of what matters is in place. If something still bugs you, it's likely one specific thing you can fix.
5 to 7.5
Something specific isn't working
Look at where your no answers cluster. That area, shown under each question, is usually where the real problem sits.
4.5 or less
You're probably unhappy at work
Waiting for it to pass is unlikely to help. Start with the area where you scored lowest.
Where you answered no: what to try first
Reward and Recognition
Feeling undervalued is one of the most fixable problems, because managers often don't see it. Keep a short list of what you've delivered and take it to your next one-to-one with one clear ask: feedback, credit on a project, or a date for a pay review.
Information Sharing
Hearing about changes last makes it hard to feel part of anything. Ask your manager for one regular slot, even 15 minutes a fortnight, where you hear what's coming before it's decided.
Empowerment
A lack of control wears people down faster than hard work does. Pick one part of your job where you'd like more say, and propose how you'd run it, rather than asking for "more autonomy" in general.
Wellbeing
If you can't switch off, the job is costing you more than your hours. Start with one boundary you can keep this week, such as no email after a set time, and raise workload with your manager if that's the cause.
Instilling Pride
Not wanting to recommend your employer says something about the culture or direction. Work out whether it's the organisation itself or just your corner of it, because a team move can change a lot.
Job Satisfaction
If you can't see your next step and Sunday evenings feel heavy, the role itself may be the issue. Ask for a development conversation. If there's no path, that's useful information for your next move.
This is the quick version. Ten questions can tell you something's off. They can't tell you what's really behind it, or what to do next. The full Happy At Work Test can, and it takes minutes to complete.
A bad week or a bad job?
Everyone has stretches where work feels heavy. A big deadline, a restructure, a manager who's having a hard quarter. That's different from a low, steady dissatisfaction that follows you into your weekends.
Judge the last three months, not the last three days. If most weeks feel the same, and a holiday didn't shift the feeling, it's probably about the job rather than the moment.
It also helps to separate how you feel about the job from how you feel about everything else. A difficult stretch at home can make a perfectly decent job feel grey, and a good job can be the thing holding you steady.
What actually makes people happy at work
Salary matters, but it's rarely the whole story. Ask people what makes a good job and the same themes come back: meaning, trust, good relationships, a sense of progress and some control over your day.
At WorkL, we group these into the Six Steps to Workplace Happiness, developed by our founder Lord Mark Price and set out in his books Happy Economics and Work Happier. Each question in the quiz above links to one of them. Here's what each one means in practice:
The point of breaking it down is that "I'm unhappy at work" is too big to act on. "Nobody tells me anything until it's decided" is something you can raise on Tuesday.
Watch
WorkL founder Lord Mark Price talks to Sir Tim Martin about how he built JD Wetherspoon from a single pub in Muswell Hill.
Watch on YouTube: how Wetherspoons started, from a £40k loan to a £2bn empire
7 signs you're unhappy at work
Everyone has the odd morning when they'd rather not go in. One or two of these signs on their own is normal. Several together, for months, is a signal worth listening to.
Am I unhappy at work, or burnt out?
The two overlap but they aren't the same. The World Health Organization describes burnout as the result of workplace stress that hasn't been managed. It shows up in three ways: exhaustion, feeling distant or cynical about your job, and doing it less effectively. You can burn out in a job you love if the load is wrong.
Unhappiness at work is broader. It's about fit: the role, the people, the culture, the direction.
When it's harder to tell
Some situations blur the line between a rough patch and the wrong job. If one of these is you, read your quiz result with that in mind, then take the Happy At Work Test for the full picture.
You've just started a new job
The first few months are often the hardest, because you're learning the role and the people at the same time. Separate "this is hard because it's new" from "this isn't what I was promised", and give it until you've had a full cycle of the work before judging the fit.
You've come back after time away
Returning from parental leave, sickness or a long break can make a familiar job feel strange. Ask for a proper catch-up on what changed while you were away. Feeling out of step at first doesn't mean the job is wrong.
You work remotely most of the time
Isolation can feel a lot like unhappiness. If most of your no answers were about Wellbeing and Information Sharing, but the work itself is fine, more contact may fix more than a new job would.
You manage other people
Managers often take pressure from above and below and have nobody to take it to. Your own happiness shapes your team's, so it's worth looking after. Find a peer or mentor outside your reporting line to talk it through with.
What to do once you know
Working out how to be happier at work starts with knowing which area to fix. Use your Happy At Work Test results to see which of these fits you.
Identify the key issue
Name the issue precisely and take a specific request to your manager. "I'd like to be in the planning meeting for the next project" gets a better response than "I feel left out". Most managers can't fix a feeling, but they can act on a clear ask.
If several areas are low
Have a fuller conversation with your manager or HR, and give it a timeframe. Agree what would change in the next three months, then check back honestly. If nothing has moved by then, you've learned something useful about whether it can.
Understand whether it's the job itself
If the role itself is the problem, this is where "should I quit my job?" comes in. Before you hand in your notice, look at internal moves, secondments or a change of team, because a new manager can feel like a new job. If you do decide to leave, decide on a good day rather than a bad one, line up your finances, and know what you're moving towards as well as what you're leaving.
"I've lost count of the people I've seen quit when what they really needed was a different manager, or one honest conversation. Figure out what's actually bothering you first. Otherwise you just pack the problem up and take it to the next job."
If you're happy at work, protect it
A good score is worth looking after. Notice which areas are carrying it, whether that's a manager who backs you, a team you like or work that stretches you. Those are the things to check for first if you're ever tempted by a move, because a bigger salary rarely makes up for losing them.
Get your full score with the WorkL Happy At Work Test
The ten questions above give you a feel for where you stand. The Happy At Work Test gives you a full score across all Six Steps to Workplace Happiness, so you can see exactly which part of your job is working and which isn't.
- Your score across the Six Steps to Workplace Happiness
- Personalised advice
- 100% confidential
It's useful whatever your result. If you're happier than you thought, you'll know which parts of your job to protect. If you're not, you'll know exactly what to raise, or what to look for in your next role. Your answers also count towards your organisation's place in the World's Happiest Workplaces list.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to not be happy at work?
Yes. Most people have periods where work feels flat or stressful. It becomes a concern when the feeling lasts for months, follows you into weekends and holidays, or starts to affect your health or relationships.
How do I know if I'm happy in my job?
Look at six things over the last three months: whether you feel recognised, kept informed and in control, whether you can switch off, whether you'd recommend your employer, and whether you can see where your job is going. The free WorkL Happy At Work Test scores all six in about five minutes.
How do I know if I hate my job or I'm just burnt out?
Burnout is mainly about exhaustion and stress from too much pressure for too long. Hating your job is about fit. If a proper break would leave you rested but still reluctant to go back, the job itself is likely the issue.
What makes people happy at work?
Fair pay and recognition, being kept informed, having control over your work, good wellbeing, pride in your employer and work that suits you. WorkL calls these the Six Steps to Workplace Happiness.
Can you be happy in a job you don't love?
Yes. Many people are content in jobs they don't feel passionate about because the people are good, the pay is fair and the job leaves room for a full life outside work. Start with the people and the boundaries you can control.
What should I do if I'm unhappy at work?
Work out which part is the problem before you do anything else. Score yourself across the six areas, take the most important one to your manager with a specific request, and give it about three months. If nothing improves, start planning your move.
How long should you stay in a job you're unhappy in?
There's no fixed answer, but give yourself a deadline. Raise the specific problems, agree what should change, and review it after about three months. If nothing has improved by then, it's probably time to plan your move.
When should you quit your job?
It's usually time when the problem has lasted for months, you've raised it and nothing has changed, it's affecting your health, or there's no route to what you want next. Where you can, line up another role or some savings first, and never decide on your worst day.